Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about God’s Plan Materials

1. What is God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage?
2. How is the God’s Plan program different from other marriage preparation programs?
3. What is the content of God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage?
4. Has the program been tested in "real-life" marriage preparation?
5. What is the cost of the program?
6. Are there discounts if you order in quantity?
7. How are the DVD and CD resources different? How can I use each?
8. How can I use the God’s Plan Segments?
9. Does this resource come in Spanish?
10. What is the length of the God’s Plan program?
11. How can the program God’s Plan be structured for use in a particular diocese?
12. Can we choose which presentations to use or must we use the entire God’s Plan program?
13. Is the NFP (Natural Family Planning) section necessary?
14. What qualifications are necessary to present the God’s Plan program at the parish or diocesan level?
15. What are the foundational underpinnings of the God’s Plan program?
16. Is this a Church-approved program?
17. Does this program replace our current offerings?
18. Is there a preview time for these materials?
19. Can God’s Plan be used for a marriage enrichment?
20. Do couples need workbooks?
21. Do you need to be an expert in the Theology of the Body to be a God’s Plan video facilitator?
22. Does your program underplay the "couple witness" component found in many marriage preparation programs?
23. Does God’s Plan allow for couples to take time during the day to reflect, share, and process what they are learning?
24. Theology is important, but what about the "life skills" needed in marriage? Does your program address these issues?
25. What about inter-faith couples? Do they benefit from this Catholic program?
26. What other marriage preparation tools do you offer?

Training Questions about the God’s Plan Program

27. How can one be trained to administer the God’s Plan program?
28. How do I promote my local training?
29. What is an Information Night?
30. Tell me more about the Live Training Program.
31. What’s the role of a Facilitator?
32. What’s the role of an Instructor?
33. What is the cost of the training?
34. What’s included in the prerequisite materials?
35. What are the benefits of Mentor Couples attending a Live Training?
36. How many dioceses have adopted or are considering God’s Plan?
37. How long does it take to get started?
38. Is a written agreement and/or financial deposit needed to schedule a training?
39. Why are the prerequisites important?
40. Why are your training programs so challenging?
41. What is the Theology of the Body Institute?
42. Who are the trainers?
43. What is included on the written assessment?
44. Do you provide a training certificate?
45. What happens after the training: Where do I go from here?

Questions about God’s Plan Materials

1. What is the God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage?

There is a growing realization that there needs to be a paradigm shift in the scope of marriage preparation in today’s Church. Increasingly, we encounter Catholics who are inadequately formed in the Church’s understanding of marriage. God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage hopes to assist in the renewal of marriage preparation by offering solid foundational teaching about the nature of marriage and the beauty of human sexuality.

As a "supplement" to your existing marriage preparation programs, God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage is designed to offer a sincere proposal of the truth and beauty of Catholic teaching. The program is based on the vision of Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, which we believe will revolutionize the way we understand ourselves, the vocation of marriage, and God’s call to be fruitful.

Click here for a PDF Download of the God’s Plan brochure.
Click here for the PDF Download of the God’s Plan description of the 6 presentations.

2. How is the God’s Plan program different from other marriage preparation programs?

The God’s Plan program was created as a supplement, not as an all-encompassing marriage preparation program. It is intended to be used in conjunction with existing programs, expressly for the purpose of strengthening the two key areas of marriage preparation about which the Church is uniquely qualified to speak: the theology of marriage and sexuality.

The program is also the first known program to be based on Pope John Paul II’s revolutionary teachings known as the Theology of the Body. The Theology of the Body provides a compelling new "language" which marriage preparation professionals and teachers can use to present the Church’s vision of marriage and human sexuality.

3. What is the content of God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage?

The program is divided into two main parts (Catholic Faith & Your Marriage and Sacramental Sexuality) with three possible talks in each part. Presentation #6 is an optional talk about the benefits of natural family planning (depending on whether your parish or diocese already offers a session on NFP in its marriage preparation program).

The six main presentations include:

Part 1: Catholic Faith & Your Marriage

Presentation 1: God’s Plan for Marriage "In the Beginning" - Creation
Presentation 2: Christ Restores God’s Plan for Marriage-Redemption
Presentation 3: What Are You Saying "I Do" To?-The Nature of the Wedding Vows

Part 2: Sacramental Sexuality

Presentation 4: The Joy of Sexual Honesty before Marriage
Presentation 5: The Joy of Sexual Honesty within Marriage
Presentation 6: Some Practical Benefits of Natural Family Planning

There is also an (optional) Question and Answer session that comes with the program.

4. Has the program been tested in "real-life" marriage preparation?

Yes, the program has its origins in the Archdiocese of Denver in the late-1990s. The God’s Plan leadership team and program teachers surveyed about two thousand engaged couples over a five-year period. These surveys revealed some extraordinary results concerning lifestyle changes that couples indicated that they were planning to make because of the program. For example, while 91 percent were sexually active coming into the program, 48 percent of this group said they would save sex for marriage because of the program.

We believe that these statistical findings point to a practical reality. The content of God’s Plan shapes the consciences of those who attend. The program challenges their assumptions and refocuses their attention on their behavior with the hope that they continue to progress in their understanding of the faith and its moral implications.

5. What is the cost of the program?

God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage offers a great value for investment in your marriage preparation program. Your average per couple cost is about $26.00 and includes some of the most practical and effective marriage preparation materials in the Church today.

The publishers of God’s Plan are aware that we live in media culture which demands a multi-sensory experience. As such, we have created both DVD and CD materials for your use. Since the program is formational in its approach, we have also developed an Instructor’s Workbook with presentation hints and a Couple’s Workbook with sections for couple reflection. The key resources available through Ascension Press include:

• 6 DVD Set (Full-Length and Segments) with Planning Guide $139.95
• 6 CD Set $44.95
• Couple’s Workbook $6.95
• Instructor’s Workbook $12.95
• Good News about Sex & Marriage textbook $11.95

Click here to view products

6. Are there discounts if you order in quantity?

Yes, bulk pricing discounts for all materials are available.Please contact Jay Wonacott at jwonacott@AscensionPress.com or John Lucin at jlucin@AscensionPress.com or call
1-800-376-0520 for a current discount schedule.

7. How are the DVD and CD resources different? How can I use each?

The DVDs are a video presentation of the God’s Plan program that can be used by Facilitators to run sessions or can be used to learn the basic content for a "live" presentation.

The CDs are audio resources for training and learning the content of the talks, or for a refresher after the marriage preparation course is complete. This is also a great "take home" resource for couple who have just attended the God’s Plan program.

The audio content of both formats is identical.

8. How can I use the God’s Plan Segments?

The God’s Plan DVD now includes both the full-length version of the talks as well as a Segments Version with easy to use navigation menus. These forty-three shorter video segments enable marriage preparation facilitators to utilize select aspects of the original video program while enhancing their own live presentation. It will allow for a greater flexibility in deciding which parts of the program to present via DVD and which parts will be presented live. The DVD will also be accompanied by a Segment Guide which will describe each of the video segments and allows you to plan which ones you will use.

9. Does this resource come in Spanish?

Yes. Both the Instructor’s and Couple’s Workbooks are now available in Spanish. In addition, a DVD Spanish version of God’s Plan is in development for 2008.

We are also translating The Good News About Sex and Marriage text into Spanish which should be available in September 2007.

10. What is the length of the God’s Plan program?

The total training time contained on the DVDs and CDs is approximately seven hours. However, with introductions, breaks, and discussion, you will want to set aside an entire day of instruction. The God’s Plan program can also work effectively with your sponsor couple programs which are usually held in evening meetings over several weeks.

11. How can the program God’s Plan be structured for use in a particular diocese?

God’s Plan is highly adaptable to the needs of your diocese. There are at least five ways the program can be implemented:

1. Expand your current marriage preparation program
Many diocesan programs currently present a one-day or a weekend marriage preparation experience for couples. We strongly recommend that dioceses consider adding an additional day to their offering in light of the great challenges today’s couples face as they struggle against permissive attitudes about sex and the decline of marriage and the family in the culture. It is also the common experience of those who work with engaged couples that the faith of these couples is most often in need of rediscovery, nourishment, and maturation, especially regarding marriage and human sexuality. The God’s Plan program provides this comprehensive catechesis. The addition of the God’s Plan program will yield great results in the hearts and minds of engaged couples. As ministers, we will help them embrace their vocation to marriage and live the Christian sexual ethic.
2. Offer God’s Plan as an optional diocesan-approved program.
The God’s Plan can be offered as a "stand-alone" program, giving engaged couples another option to fulfil their marriage preparation requirement. So, instead of adding another day or replacing an existing program, your office can simply offer the God’s Plan program as another option. Depending on your needs, the diocesan office, trained facilitators in your area, or the God’s Plan national office would manage the program dates and registrations. The program could target various regions of your diocese needing marriage preparation support and could be promoted through the diocesan office as another viable option for marriage preparation. We can assist with your marketing efforts, including handling them completely, if needed.
3. Replace your current marriage preparation program with God’s Plan.
While an additional formation day for your couples is ideal, expanding your marriage preparation program might be challenging and impractical. As an option, then, you could replace your current one-day (or multiple evening) offering with the God’s Plan program. God’s Plan offers an excellent format wherein other topics can be easily introduced into the overall context of the program. For example, communication skills could be introduced after Presentations 1 or 2, interfaith or doctrinal issues after Presentation 3, or sexual ethics and parenting issues after Presentations 4, 5, or 6. These reflect how practical life skills discussions could follow from the theological principles outlined in the God’s Plan presentations. You may also consider adjusting your "theological" and "sexuality" educational sessions to accommodate the rich material found in the God’s Plan program.

4. Encourage parish-based participation.
Dioceses often work with parish-based marriage preparation programs to fulfill their marriage preparation requirements. While many of these parish-based programs are solid in "life skills" content, many are in need of theological updating. To assist these parishes, we would ask your office to promote the God’s Plan program as a resource to parishes. We could also work with your office to conduct a God’s Plan Training Session in your diocese. Many current parish programs use sponsor couples who meet with engaged couples usually one evening per week for a period of several weeks. This is also an excellent use of the God’s Plan program because the solid content of the program can be united with the interpersonal dynamic of the sponsor couples ministering to the engaged.

5. Support God’s Plan as an independent, approved program.
Dioceses face different challenges in trying to offer effective marriage preparation programs. Some do not offer a diocesan-based program and rely on existing parish-based ministries or employ independent organizations to provide marriage preparation to the engaged couples.
The God’s Plan program team would seek permission from your diocese to operate as an independent program. We could work collaboratively with your diocese to market the God’s Plan. Our team would manage the program with an independent, trained facilitator in your area. We are ready and willing to work closely with you on this, or you can handle everything on our own.
Regardless of which of these five options you use, you can use the program in these three programming formats:

• On a single full day (Saturday or Sunday)
• Over a weekend retreat
• Over multiple evenings using mentor couples

We are presently working with many dioceses and parishes to configure the God’s Plan program to their needs. We recommend that you set up a phone call with your God’s Plan representative to discuss your parish or diocesan needs.

Click here for PDF of Five Ways Document

12. Can we choose which presentations to use or must we use the entire God’s Plan program?

While the God’s Plan program is best experienced in its entirety, it can certainly be used in segments. One of the strengths of the program is its pedagogy, i.e., its systematic presentation of Pope John Paul II’s theology and its application to marriage preparation. The first three talks lay a vital foundation for understanding God’s original plan for marriage and what the Catholic vision of marriage is. These three talks then help the God’s Plan facilitator make a compelling case for living out the extraordinary gift of human sexuality in a manner that corresponds with God’s Plan as well as the deepest longings of the human heart.

The creators of the God’s Plan program Segments Version allows your live presenters to give the talks themselves but also insert individual short segments that make certain points in a particular effective manner. We’ve created a helpful Segments Guide to assist presenters in their preparation for teaching the program.

Click here for information about the DVD Segments and Segments Guide

13. Is the NFP (Natural Family Planning) section necessary?

If your diocese already has a strong NFP component to your existing marriage preparation program, this section can be skipped. We included the NFP talk because we believe the topic is vitally important in marriage preparation, and programs around the country need to offer a sound and convincing presentation of this critical issue.

The God’s Plan NFP presentation is not necessary for understanding the previous sections of the program. It simply serves as an additional resource your diocese can use to address this crucial subject with your engaged couples. However with being said, as one of our God’s Plan instructors correctly points out, a final NFP talk is an important component because many couples will experience a serious change of heart and perspective during their instruction in God’s Plan, and many will want to know what they can do next.

14. What qualifications are necessary to present the God’s Plan program at the parish or diocesan level?

This depends on the type of presentation you choose to implement. If you plan on using the DVD series and are simply looking for discussion facilitators, then anyone who has a basic understanding of Catholic theology and fully accepts the moral teachings of the Catholic Church, is comfortable in front of a small audience, is professional in his/her approach, and is pastorally sensitive would be appropriate.

If, on the other hand, you are planning to teach the program, we highly recommend you be very selective in choosing your teachers. You should first conclude the actual number of facilitators you will need. Your facilitators could include a single person or a couple.

To conclude the number of teachers you will need, first determine the number of times God’s Plan will be utilized in your parish or diocese. For example, if 500 marriages take place in the diocese per year - and all engaged couples participate in the God’s Plan program—you may need only three to five teachers (or teaching couples). This number will vary depending upon how many couples will participate in each session and on the number of locations you will use. Ideally, each session should have 20 to 40 couples in attendance, and each facilitator (or facilitating couple) will conduct four to five trainings per year.

15. What are the foundational underpinnings of the God’s Plan program?

God’s Plan is based on the teachings of the Catholic Church as expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the insights of Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. The program also builds on the pastoral experiences of the Archdiocese of Denver’s marriage preparation team, who have worked with thousands of engaged couples and understand the myriad of issues facing today’s engaged couples as they prepare for marriage in the Church.

16. Is this a Church-approved program?

Yes. The original God’s Plan for a Joy Filled Marriage was developed under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Denver and has obtained the Imprimatur. The program is now in use in more than a dozen dioceses throughout the country.

Click here to see a current listing of Dioceses using the God’s Plan program .

17. Does this program replace our current offerings?

The God’s Plan program is designed to work well with existing parish and diocesan marriage preparation programs. Our goal is simply to offer a supplement that focuses on several key areas of marriage preparation: the theology of marriage, sacramentality, and human sexuality. While God’s Plan can be used to replace your existing talks in these areas, it is most often adapted into existing efforts. (Please refer to question 11 for the five ways the God’s Plan program could be implemented in your diocese.)

18. Is there a preview time for these materials?

Yes. We currently offer a preview period for the God’s Plan materials.
Please contact a God’s Plan representative to discuss to learn more.
We are certain if you have the opportunity to review even a portion of the DVD, CD, or workbooks, you will be convinced of their excellent content and sound pedagogy. If, however, you choose not to purchase these materials, simply return them with the enclosed invoice, paying only return shipping costs.

Click here to e-mail, Jay Wonacott, Director, Family Life Programs
Click here to e-mail, John Lucin, Sales Associate, Ascension Press

19. Can God’s Plan be used for a marriage enrichment?

While the God’s Plan program was designed specifically for a marriage preparation course, the content is appropriate for married couples as well. In fact, most married couples who attend a God’s Plan training find the material enriching for their own marriage journey. In 2008, Ascension Press will be developing a series of reflection questions and exercises for married couples to use which reflects more readily the experiences of those married, not simply those preparing for marriage.

20. Do couples need workbooks?

Yes. Every person attending the program will need his or her own workbook (i.e., two per couple) and a copy of The Good News About Sex and Marriage text to share. Given the formational nature of God’s Plan, it is important for each participant to complete the written exercises individually as they work through the presentations. Couples will be asked to write personal reflections and take notes, and they will naturally want to refer to this resource following the marriage preparation training.

21. Do you need to be an expert in the Theology of the Body to be a God’s Plan video facilitator?

No, video facilitators of the program do not need to be experts in all details of the Theology of the Body. However, we do highly encourage potential facilitators to listen to the Introduction to the Theology of the Body CDs provided in the prerequisite materials. This basic overview of the key concepts of the Theology of the Body will enhance your understanding of the material. Potential marriage preparation leaders should be not be discouraged from participating in the program out of fear that they do not know enough theology.

22. Does your program underplay the "couple witness" component found in many marriage preparation programs?

While our program is primarily formational, we understand the need for couples to witness to the truths of Christian marriage. As your facilitators develop their talks for offering the God’s Plan program, there will be opportunities for anecdotal pieces describing how a particular point comes to "life" in the everyday experiences of married life.

This being said, we believe that an over emphasis on witnessing to the exclusion of solid, Catholic content is a disservice to engaged couples. Many come to marriage preparation with a deficient understanding of the Catholic faith. As a result, marriage preparation programs need to include a strong "formative" component. This is the beauty of the God’s Plan program: it combines rich content with the power of Christian witness.

23. Does God’s Plan allow for couples to take time during the day to reflect, share, and process what they are learning?

Yes. There are ample opportunities during a God’s Plan weekend for couples to process and discuss the material. While the material is content-rich, it also allows couples the opportunity to explore some of the program’s foundational ideas: the permanent nature of marriage, the call to fidelity in marriage, and how to live the Christian sexual ethic. God’s Plan focuses on these deeper questions an engaged couple absolutely needs to consider as they prepare for marriage.

24. Theology is important, but what about the "life skills" needed in marriage? Does your program address these issues?

The creators of God’s Plan believe that while "life skills" are a very important aspect of marriage preparation. Strictly speaking, engaged couples can learn virtue-based life skills (e.g., communication, finances, and parenting skills) from other reliable resources. Generally, these resources are not able to pass on is the rich Christian theology that is foundational to marriage.

Over the past thirty years or so, the majority of marriage preparation programs have made life skills the foundation upon which they are built, and made this issue a primary point of emphasis. Although this emphasis has cultivated much good fruit, an over emphasis on life skills can lessen the time needed for a sound teaching on the theology of marriage and human sexuality.

The creators of the God’s Plan program believe that if couples can more fully understand those two key areas - theology of marriage and sexuality"they will be better equipped to apply the life skills component of the program.

25. What about inter-faith couples? Do they benefit from this Catholic program?

Yes. In the introduction to the program, non-Catholics are invited to consider the Church’s teachings on marriage and sexuality, not merely as the teachings of men, but as universal teachings rooted in the natural law and applicable to all people. We believe that the solid content of God’s Plan may actually convince someone of another faith to consider the truth, goodness, and beauty of Catholic teaching.

26. What other marriage preparation tools do you offer?

We have developed several other resources for engaged couples. These include:
For engaged couples:

• Sexual Honesty (audio CD) and Quiz: This hour-long talk introduces couples’ issues to aspects of the Church’s teaching on sexual ethics. It can be given to couples in the registration packet or mailed out in advance of your marriage preparation program to "soften the soil", in a sense. We have also developed a quiz that can be enclosed in the mailing with instructions to the couples to listen to the CD before they arrive for the God’s Plan day.

• Good News about Sex and Marriage (book): This best-selling book contains 115 of the most commonly asked questions and answers about Church teaching on marriage and human sexuality. It is given to couples by many dioceses throughout the country and is considered the pre-eminent "hand out" resource for engaged couples.

Training Questions about the God’s Plan Program

27. How can one be trained to administer the God’s Plan program?

The Theology of the Body Institute has created a training program for the training of Video Facilitators. The Live Training Program will be held various dioceses and locations around the country in 2007. For a listing, please see the www.JoyFilledMarriage.com homepage. We can also schedule a training session in your diocese.

28. How do I promote my local training?

Once you have scheduled a God’s Plan training for your diocese or parish, Ascension Press will assist you with marketing items such as sample promotional flier, letters to leadership or pastors, bulletin inserts and registration forms. We customize these to your needs. You may also want to schedule an Information Night which is an event geared to educating your clergy or marriage preparation leaders about God’s Plan.

29. What is an Information Night?

An Information Night is a structured focused overview of the content, history and pedagogy of the God’s Plan program.

There are two types of Information Nights: Diocesan and Parish.

A Diocesan Information Night is a way for the diocese to encourage parishes to send their engaged couples to the newly adopted God’s Plan program. This kind of Information session follows a God’s Plan Training in your diocese.

Click here for more information about a Diocesan Information Night

A Parish Information Night is geared for the recruitment of possible God’s Plan facilitators to help with teaching the God’s Plan program. This kind of Information session usually precedes a formal God’s Plan Training in your diocese.

Click here for more information about a Parish Information Night

30. Tell me more about the Live Training Program.

The Live Training Weekend is a highly-interactive and content-rich course where God’s Plan trainers walk the participants through the God’s Plan program, providing key insights on the logic of the program and how it can best be taught to engaged couples. The training includes a systematic walk-through of each of the six major presentations, as well as the introductory talk on the pedagogy of the program and a talk on "Today’s Engaged Couple." We also put the participants "on the hot seat," by having them answer some of the commonly asked questions that marriage preparation teachers hear during preparation. After asking your teaching couples these questions, our trainers will provide the answers that have historically worked for them. We also discuss insights on how to improve your presentation skills and personal skills working with groups of people.

31. What’s the role of a Facilitator?

A facilitator is trained to administer the DVD program. However, this is simply more than knowing how to operate a DVD recorder and TV. Facilitators come away from our Live Training with a thorough understanding of the pedagogy of each of the six talks in the God’s Plan program. Facilitators will use these insights to lead discussion on the material that’s been presented. Facilitators should be:

a. Comfortable facilitating a DVD program
b. Understanding of the TOB and Catholic teaching on marriage
c. Handle questions with reasonable proficiency

32. What’s the role of an Instructor?

While our Facilitator training will offer your leaders the fundamental tools needed to offer the God’s Plan in your diocese or parish, we have created additional support materials and a second assessment for those interested in becoming Instructors in the God’s Plan material. The formation of the Instructors becomes a cooperative effort with your local diocese or parish in that we provide additional formational materials and a second assessment. The diocese or parish will offer opportunities for continued formation and enrichment by using the tools to purse presentation skills, fielding ethical questions, and knowing some of the key pastoral issues facing today’s couples. Instructors should be:

a. Comfortable with offering "live" presentations of the God’s Plan material
b. Possess a richer understanding of the TOB and Catholic teaching on marriage
c. Handle questions with greater skill and depth

33. What is the cost of the training?

We would encourage you to contact your God’s Plan representative to discuss the costs for the training. Please contact Jay Wonacott, Director, Family Life Programs at jwonacott@ascensionpress.com for more information about scheduling a training for your diocese or parish.

We believe that the training of diocesan God’s Plan leaders is an investment in the future of marriage ministry in your diocese.
The costs are modest in light of the quality of the training your team will receive. Our goal is simple: to spread the richness of the God’s Plan program as far and wide as possible. In light of diocesan financial concerns, we concluded that it was better to view these trainings as a "loss leader" than to price them at their real value.
The training fee includes a weekend-long training, the online assessment, and prerequisite materials. The trainer’s expenses, participant travel, meals, and lodging are not included. Additional discounts are available for dioceses enrolled in our God’s Plan Partnership Agreement.
Couples share the prerequisite materials, which each person receives with the exception of a Leader’s Guide.
A participant’s travel, meals and lodging are separate costs to be arranged with the local diocese or parish hosting a God’s Plan Training Program. Please be sure to factor these in to your costs when planning your Training weekend.

Click here for a PDF of our Training Brochure

34. What’s included in the prerequisite materials?

Formation is essential for effective ministry. It will help prepare them to field the difficult questions that may arise and will enrich their own understanding of the exciting developments in the theology of marriage in light of the pontificate of John Paul II. Our prerequisite material includes:

• Introduction to the Theology of the Body (CD series)
• God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled-Marriage (CD series)
• God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled-Marriage Leader’s Guide
• Good News about Sex and Marriage (book)
• Frequently Asked Questions - Theological/Moral Questions
• Documents: Preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage, Humanae Vitae, and Leading a Group Discussion Guide.

Because the actual training weekend primarily involves the unpacking of the content on the God’s Plan program, it will be essential for your prospective Facilitators to view the DVDs or listen to the CDs in advance. We normally suggest that materials are received 6 to 8 weeks before the training.

Click here to learn more about our God’s Plan products

35. What are the benefits of Mentor Couples attending a Live Training?

Dioceses and parishes are continually searching for ways to offer enrichment and formation to their diocesan and parish leaders of marriage preparation. Here are just some of the ways we believe God’s Plan will benefit your mentor couples:

• Deeper knowledge of the marriage preparation questions/issues raised by the couple.
• Deeper understanding of today’s engaged couples.
• Learning the "new language" of the TOB and how it applies to marriage preparation.
• A thorough understanding of the "pedagogy" of the God’s Plan program"why a paradigm shift is needed in marriage preparation.
• Walking through and understanding the frequently asked questions that engaged couples ask.
• Interaction with other teaching couples in this same ministry
• Learning how to teach the God’s Plan program themselves.

36. How many dioceses have adopted or are considering God’s Plan?

The God’s Plan program was developed in the Archdiocese of Denver approximately seven years ago. Although unpublished until May of 2006, representatives from the Archdiocese informed us that approximately one dozen dioceses over the years had heard about the success of the Denver program and contacted them directly.
Since we published Denver’s program in May 2005, materials have been purchased for review or implementation in many dioceses, including the Archdiocese of New York which mandated that each of their 4,000 engaged couples each year go through the God’s Plan program effective January 1, 2006. These numbers are particularly impressive in light the longer ramp-up time typically needed to implement diocesan programs. In short, the response has been very fast and very favorable, significantly more than we anticipated in light of the time usually needed by dioceses to make such decisions.

Click here for a list of Dioceses that use the God's Plan program .

37. How long does it take to get started?

After the initial review and acceptance of the God’s Plan outline and material, implementing the God’s Plan in your diocese or parish is relatively straightforward. Once approval has been given by the bishop or family life office, the implementation of the program can begin within just a few months. Time is needed to identify Facilitators and begin promoting the program.

While it not necessary, we highly recommend scheduling a Live Training for your local marriage preparation leadership. You should consider the question: Who will be involved? Commonly the list includes: diocesan leaders, parish leaders, other independent providers of marriage education, priests, deacons, religious education leadership. After training, your facilitators will take the time to continue their learning through reviewing the training material and listening to the God’s Plan CDs which are part of the on-going learning. After this, your leadership can simply "jump in" and begin to facilitate the program as part or the replacement of your current offerings. This process usually takes several months of planning and work, but the benefit is a trained team willing to implement the God’s Plan material effectively and fruitfully.

In short, we recommend that you diocese look at least six months out, unless it already has individuals or couples who are adept at teaching the Theology of the Body. If this is the case, you can likely begin in as early as three months.

Click here for a PDF of our Getting Started Document

38. Is a written agreement and/or financial deposit needed to schedule a training?

Yes. To help clarify the expectations and deliverables for the Training Weekend, we require a simple two-page agreement, along with a deposit.

39. Why are the prerequisites important?

The prerequisites are important because the content in the God’s Plan program - which is rooted in the Theology of the Body - is a bold and positive departure from the current marriage preparation paradigm used in many locations. This requires a rich understanding so the couples can come to the Training Weekend prepared to learn many new, profound concepts.

40. Why are your training programs so challenging?

In creating a marriage preparation program with an emphasis on the sacrament of marriage and human sexuality, the creators of the God’s Plan realized the program is really only as good as those who will effectively teach it. For this very reason, we saw the marketing of the God’s Plan as an excellent opportunity to offer training opportunities to leaders around the country. We have established a high expectation for our training process because we believe in the long run it will reap a harvest of dozens, if not hundreds, of diocesan staff, parish leadership, and sponsor couples who will be highly skilled at presenting the Church’s compelling vision of marriage, in light of the Theology of the Body.

41. What is the Theology of the Body Institute?

Theology of the Body Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to promote an understanding of the Theology of the Body throughout the United States and the world. Through graduate and undergraduate courses, seminars, workshops, books, articles, newsletters, pamphlets, audio and video recordings, and exposure in popular media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio and the Internet. The Theology of the Body Institute seeks to penetrate and permeate the culture with a vision of sexuality that appeals to the deepest yearnings of the human heart for love and union.
Because of the particular challenge of sexuality promiscuity, divorce, and other social ills facing engaged couples, the Institute’s founders and directors felt a particular need to offer comprehensive training in marriage preparation.
To learn more about the Theology of the Body Institute simply click here: www.tobinstitute.org

42. Who are the trainers?

The trainers are masters-level educated individuals who have first-hand knowledge of how the God’s Plan is effectively administered. Each of our trainers has several years of pastoral experience and all are knowledgeable about the Church’s teaching about marriage and human sexuality. Biographies of our trainers are available upon request.

Click here to contact Jay Wonacott for more information about our God’s Plan training team.

43. What is included on the written assessment?

The written assessment #1 is composed of 45 multiple choice questions based on the theology of the body and God’s Plan training program. The assessment is a challenging test of Catholic teaching on marriage and human sexuality.

44. Do you provide a training certificate?

Yes, we provide a Certificate of Accomplishment for those who complete our God’s Plan Live Training Weekend and the written examination.

45. What happens after the training: Where do I go from here?

You have just completed the God’s Plan for Joy-Filled Marriage "Live" Facilitator Training. You are probably feeling both excited and a bit apprehensive about getting started and asking yourself: Where do I go from here? We all have to admit that most people don’t like change, but change is often necessary for growth and improvement. We know this is true of our marriage preparation ministries. It is important to remember that you are not alone in this important work. You are one of many others from around the country who are working to bring this Good News to Catholic engaged couples. We should be excited about this important work. You have the support of your fellow facilitators, the diocesan director for family life, and the God’s Plan team at Ascension Press to help you. Below are some ideas for getting ready to apply what you have learned over these past training days.

• Spend time with the materials: DVD, Audio, Leader’s Guide and Good News Book.

God’s Plan contains rich theological content. It is important for you to know your material. While we have reviewed the DVDs on the training weekend, we encourage you do so again with the eye for thinking about how you would present a particular idea, teaching or section. Listen to the Audio Version of the God’s Plan in your car or at home. It also helps for you to read the materials you received at the training. The God’s Plan Leader’s Guide is filled with tips for discussing the content of the program. Also, spend some time with The Good News About Sex and Marriage book. Breakout your highlighter and mark up those sections that are really going to help you share the vision and answer questions from others.

• Connect with your fellow Facilitators.

Any good program takes time to develop and grow. Make friends with those who attended the God’s Plan training with you. Exchange e-mail address and phone numbers to begin sharing with one another how to plan your presentations. If possible, take some time to critique one another’s notes or practice presentations together offering each other feedback. No one person has all the answers and the more minds sharing the vision - all the better.

• Call upon your Diocesan Director of Family Life or Marriage Preparation coordinator for resources and help.

Your local Diocesan Director of Family Life and/or Marriage Preparation is a fantastic resource for you. It is our hope that the Diocesan Director will bring facilitators together to help strengthen the areas of content and presentation. The diocesan director can assist you in coordinating opportunities to learn more about your Catholic faith as it applies to marriage and family life teachings.

• Don’t hesitate to contact Staff at Ascension Press.

Ascension Press employs knowledgeable and help staff to assist you will your questions about the program and will strategize with you and your community to make the God’s Plan program successful. You are only a telephone call or an e-mail message away from getting the advice and help you need to make this transition to a new program easier.

• Be willing to share your experience and knowledge with couples and with other facilitators around the country.

You have what it takes to implement the God’s Plan program. You are not going it alone. You will have the awesome opportunity to share your experiences and knowledge with couples who are hungry for the truth and want to have an understanding of the meaning of their Catholic marriage. We encourage you to share this with them and with other facilitators from around the country who are using the God’s Plan program.

• Join the national or regional conference calls and check out the God’s Plan Blog for ideas and support.

As part of the on-going support, Ascension Press will promote on-going national and regional conference calls for support and direction in using the God’s Plan program. We will ask one of our national trainers to share more insights on how to use the God’s Plan program. We also see this as an opportunity for you to share your experience and knowledge as you have come to know and use the God’s Plan program. We are also developing a BLOG for God’s Plan users to share their insights and experiences.

• BE NOT AFRAID! Living the words of Pope John Paul II.

It is exciting being part of a cutting-edge program for the renewal of marriage and family. Pope John Paul II called us to put out into the deep water and told us to be not afraid. Living your Catholic faith authentically today means to be countercultural. However, we are also the light of the world, and if we don’t shine, who will? Be encouraged by the work you are preparing to do with tens, hundreds and possibility thousands of engaged couples over the years. Let’s give them our best. God will bless you for your hard work and sacrifice on behalf of the His Kingdom. Remember, you are not alone.